H7225 H7225
Beginning, origin; firstfruits or first portion; the chief or choicest part of something
Derived from rosh ('head'), this noun carries the foundational sense of what comes first, whether in time, in a harvest, or in rank. Its most famous appearance is Genesis 1:1, 'In the beginning God created,' establishing temporal primacy. In cultic law, it denotes the firstfruits of grain, dough, and produce offered to God (Exod 23:19; Num 15:20). A third nuance signals preeminence or choicest quality, as when Amos denounces those who anoint themselves with 'the chief oils' (Amos 6:6). The German 'Anfang' and 'Erstlinge' neatly separate the temporal and agricultural senses.
Senses
1. firstfruits, first produce — The cultic-agricultural sense of firstfruits, the earliest yield from field, flock, or dough consecrated as an offering to God. Covering 25 occurrences, it appears prominently in laws governing offerings: the firstfruits of wheat harvest (Exod 23:19; 34:26), of coarse meal (Num 15:20-21), and of grain and wine (Deut 18:4). The Spanish 'primicias' and French 'premices' preserve the sacral-agricultural flavor distinctly. 25×
AR["أَوَّلَ", "أَوَّلُ", "باكورَةَ", "بَاكُورَاتِهَا", "بَاكُورَةَ", "بَاكُورَةُ", "بَاكُورَةِ", "مِنْ-أَوَّلِ", "وَ-أَوَّلَ", "وَ-أَوَّلُ", "وَ-بَاكُورَةَ"]·ben["এবং-প্রথম", "এবং-প্রথম-কাটা", "তাদের-প্রথম-ফল", "থেকে-প্রথম-ফল", "প্রথম", "প্রথম-থেকে", "প্রথম-ফল", "প্রথমফল", "প্রথমফল-থেকে"]·DE["Anfang", "Erstling-von", "Erstlinge-von", "[וראשית]", "[ראשית]", "der-Erstlinge-von", "der-erster-von", "erster-von", "ihr-Erstlinge", "und-Erstlinge-von", "von-Erstling", "von-erster-von"]·EN["and-first-of", "and-firstfruits-of", "first-of", "firstfruit-of", "firstfruits-of", "from-first-of", "from-firstfruit", "is-the-first-of", "the-first-of", "the-firstfruits", "the-firstfruits-of", "their-firstfruits"]·FR["[ראשית]", "commencement", "de-firstfruit", "de-premier-de", "et-commencement", "et-prémices-de", "firstfruit-de", "leur-prémices", "premier-de", "prémices-de"]·heb["ו-ראשית", "מ-ראשית", "ראשית"]·HI["उनका-पहला-फल", "और-पहला-फल", "और-पहिले", "पहला", "पहला-फल", "पहले", "पहले-फल", "पहले-फलों-से", "पहले-से", "पहिले-फल", "से-पहला"]·ID["Pertama", "Yang-pertama", "buah-pertama", "buah-sulung", "dan-yang-pertama", "dari-hasil-pertama", "dari-yang-pertama", "dari-yang-terbaik", "hasil-pertama", "hasil-pertama-mereka", "hulu-hasil", "yang pertama", "yang-pertama"]·IT["[ראשית]", "da-primizia", "da-primo-di", "e-primizie-di", "e-principio", "loro-primizie", "primizia-di", "primizie-di", "primo-di", "principio"]·jav["Ingkang-sapisan", "Ingkang-sepisan", "Ingkang-wiwitan", "Lan-wiwitan", "Saking-wiwitan", "Wiwitan", "lan-ingkang-wiwitan", "lan-wiwitan", "pisanan", "pisungsung-wiwitan", "saking-paling-sae", "saking-wiwitan", "wiwitan", "wiwitan-piyambakipun"]·KO["(전)-첫-것-에서", "(접)-첫-것을", "-에서-첫것", "그들-의-처음-것", "그리고-처음것을", "그리고-처음의", "처음-것-을", "처음-것을", "처음-것의", "처음-을", "처음-이다", "처음것을", "처음을", "첫-것", "첫-것-에서", "첫-것을", "첫째-였다", "첫째이다"]·PT["De-primícia-de", "E-princípios-de", "Melhores-de", "Primeiro-de", "Primícia-de", "Primícias-de-", "as-primícias", "das-primícias-de", "e-primícias-de", "e-princípio-de", "primícias-de", "primícias-deles", "princípios-de", "¶ Primícias-de", "é-o-princípio-dos-"]·RU["Лучшее", "Начатки", "Первинки", "и-начатки", "из-начатков", "начало", "начатки", "начатки-их", "начаток", "от-лучшего", "от-начатка", "первинки", "первины", "первый"]·ES["De-primicias-de", "Lo-primero-de", "Primicias-de", "Y-primicias-de", "de-las-primicias-de", "de-lo-mejor-de", "las-primicias-de", "lo-primero-de", "primicia-de", "primicias-de", "sus-primicias", "y-primicias-de"]·SW["Kutoka-malimbuko", "Malimbuko", "Na-malimbuko-ya-kwanza-ya", "kutoka-malimbuko", "kutoka-mwanzoni", "kwanza", "malimbuko", "malimbuko-ya", "malimbuko-yao", "mwanzo", "mwanzo-wa", "na-malimbuko-ya", "na-malimbuko-ya-kwanza-ya", "wa-kwanza-wa", "wa-kwanza-wa-"]·TR["-den-ilkinden", "-ilkinden", "ilk", "ilk-meyvelerini", "ilk-meyvesi", "ilk-ürünü", "ilki", "ilkidir", "ilkinden-", "ilkini", "ve-ilki", "ve-ilkini"]·urd["اور-پہلا", "اُن-کی-پہلین", "بہترین", "پہلا", "پہلا-حصہ", "پہلا-ہے", "پہلوں-سے", "پہلی", "پہلی-اولاد", "پہلین", "پہلین-سے", "پہلے", "پہلے-پھل"]
Exod 23:19, Exod 34:26, Lev 2:12, Lev 23:10, Num 15:20, Num 15:21, Num 18:12, Num 24:20, Deut 18:4, Deut 18:4, Deut 26:2, Deut 26:10 (+13 more)
2. beginning, start — The temporal sense of beginning or commencement, anchored by the iconic opening of Scripture: 'In the beginning' (Gen 1:1). It marks the start of kingdoms (Gen 10:10), reigns (Jer 26:1; 28:1), and years (Deut 11:12). Ecclesiastes 7:8 contrasts 'the beginning of a matter' with its end, and Proverbs 1:7 declares 'the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.' The German 'Anfang' and Spanish 'principio' consistently mark this temporal usage. 21×
AR["أوَّلُ", "أَكْثَرَ-مِنْ-أَوَّلِهِ", "أَوَّلُ", "بِدَايَةُ", "رَأس", "رَأْسَ", "رَأْسُ", "في-أَوَّلِها", "فِي-الْبَدْءِ", "فِي-بَدْءِ", "فِي-بِدَايَةِ", "مِنَ-الْبِدَايَةِ", "مِنْ-", "مِنْ-بِدَايَةِ", "وَأَوَّلُ"]·ben["-শুরু-থেকে", "আদিতে", "আর-প্রথম", "আরম্ভ", "আরম্ভে", "তাঁর-প্রথমের-চেয়ে-বেশি", "তার-আরম্ভে", "প্রথম-ফল", "শুরু", "শুরু-থেকে", "শুরুতে-", "শুরুর-তার-চেয়ে"]·DE["Anfang", "Anfang-von", "Im-Anfang", "der-Anfang", "der-Anfang-von", "im-Anfang", "und-der-Erstling", "von-Anfang", "von-Anfang-von"]·EN["In-beginning", "In-beginning-of", "and-beginning-of", "at-the-beginning-of", "beginning-of", "from-beginning-of", "from-the-beginning", "in-beginning-of", "in-its-beginning", "in-the-beginning-of", "is-the-beginning-of", "more-than-his-beginning", "than-its-beginning", "the-beginning-of", "the-chief-of"]·FR["Au-commencement", "commencement", "commencement-de", "de-commencement-de", "de-son-commencement-lui", "et-commencement-de"]·heb["ב-ראשית", "ב-ראשיתה", "ו-ראשית", "מ-ראשית", "מ-ראשיתו", "ראשית"]·HI["आरंभ", "आरंभ-से", "आरम्भ", "आरम्भ-उसके-में", "आरम्भ-से-अधिक", "उसके-आरम्भ-से", "और-आरंभ", "पहला-फल", "पहली", "प्रारम्भ", "में-आदि", "में-आरम्भ", "में-शुरू", "शुरुअआत", "शुरू", "शुरू-में", "से-आरम्भ"]·ID["Pada-mulanya", "Permulaan", "dan-permulaan", "dari-awal", "dari-permulaan", "daripada-awalnya", "lebih dari-permulaannya", "pada-awal", "pada-permulaan", "pada-permulaannya", "permulaan", "yang-pertama", "yang-utama-dari"]·IT["In-principio", "da-principio-di", "da-principio-suo", "e-principio-di", "principio", "principio-di"]·jav["Ing-wiwitan", "Ing-wiwitan-ipun", "Wiwitaning", "ing-wiwitan-ipun", "ing-wiwitanipun", "lan-wiwitanipun", "langkung-saking-wiwitanipun;", "pucuking", "saking-wiwitan", "tinimbang-wiwitanipun", "wiwitan", "wiwitan-saking", "wiwitanipun"]·KO["그녀의-처음에", "그리고-처음", "보다-처음-그의", "시작", "시작-으로", "시작-은", "시작-이다", "시작-이로다", "시작은", "시작이니라", "에-시작", "에-처음에", "으뜸을", "처음-보다", "처음부터", "처음에", "처음에서", "처음이다"]·PT["No-princípio", "No-princípio-de-", "O-princípio", "Princípio-de", "desde-início-de-", "desde-o-princípio", "e-primícia-de", "início-de", "mais-que-seu-princípio;", "no-início-de", "no-princípio-de-", "no-princípio-dela", "princípio-de", "que-princípio-seu", "é-princípio-de"]·RU["- начало", "В-начале", "Начало", "больше-начального", "в-начале", "в-начале-её", "и-начало", "начало", "началом", "начаток", "нежели-начало-его;", "от-начала"]·ES["En-principio", "En-principio-de", "Principio-de", "comienzo-de", "desde-el-principio", "desde-el-principio-de", "en-principio-de", "en-su-comienzo", "es-el-principio-de", "lo-principal-de", "más-que-su-principio", "principio-de", "que-su-principio", "y-principio-de"]·SW["Mwanzo-ni", "Mwanzoni-mwa", "akamruka-kuanza", "chanzo-cha", "kuliko-mwanzo-wake", "malimbuko", "mwanzo-wa", "mwanzoni-mwa", "mwanzoni-mwake", "tangu-mwanzo", "tangu-mwanzo-wa"]·TR["-de-başında", "Başlangıçta", "Başında", "basindan", "bastan-", "başlangıcı", "başlangıcı-olarak", "başlangıcıdır", "başlangıcında", "başlangıcını", "başından", "başından-çok", "ve-başlangıcı"]·urd["آغاز", "ابتداء-سے", "اور-پہلا", "سے-اُس-کی-ابتدا", "شروع", "شروع-اُس-کی-میں", "شروع-سے", "شروع-سے-زیادہ", "شروع-میں", "شروعات", "میں-ابتدا", "پہلا", "پہلی-چیز"]
Gen 1:1, Gen 10:10, Gen 49:3, Deut 11:12, Deut 21:17, Job 8:7, Job 42:12, Ps 111:10, Prov 1:7, Prov 4:7, Prov 8:22, Prov 17:14 (+9 more)
3. chief, best, choicest — A qualitative sense indicating the chief, best, or most excellent portion, emphasizing rank or quality rather than temporal priority. In Deuteronomy 33:21, the leader's portion is called 'the first part' (i.e., the choicest). Amos 6:1 and 6:6 use it of the 'foremost of nations' and the 'finest oils.' First Samuel 15:21 refers to 'the chief of the devoted things.' The English 'choicest' and Spanish 'la primera' capture this superlative nuance. 5×
AR["الْبَاكُورَةَ", "رَأْسَ", "وَ-أَوَّلُ", "وَ-بِ-أَفْضَلِ"]·ben["ও-প্রথমের", "ও-প্রধান-অংশ", "প্রথমটি", "প্রথমফল", "প্রথমের"]·DE["Anfang", "[וראשית]", "erster-Anteil", "firstfruits-von", "und-Anfang"]·EN["and-chief-of", "and-the-finest-of-", "first-portion", "firstfruits-of", "the-first-of-"]·FR["commencement", "et-commencement", "firstfruits-de", "premier-portion"]·heb["ו-ראשית", "ראשית"]·HI["और-उत्तम", "और-प्रमुख", "पहला-भाग", "पहले", "पहले-फल"]·ID["dan-dengan-yang-terbaik", "dan-permulaan", "yang-pertama", "yang-terbaik", "yang-utama"]·IT["e-principio", "firstfruits-di", "primo-porzione", "principio"]·jav["lan-ing-lisah", "lan-para-pangageng-ipun", "panduman-pisanan", "para-pangageng", "wiwitan"]·KO["그리고-으뚜", "그리고-으뜸이", "으뚜", "처음(접)", "첫째것"]·PT["as-primícias", "e-os-principais-dos", "e-primeiro-de", "primeira-de", "primícias-de"]·RU["и-лучшими", "и-первенцы", "лучшее", "первенствующим", "первое"]·ES["la-primera-de", "la-primera-parte", "primicias-de", "y-con-lo-mejor-de", "y-primicia-de"]·SW["bora", "na-mafuta-bora", "na-wakuu", "sehemu-ya-kwanza", "wa-kwanza"]·TR["başı", "en-iyisini", "ilk-meyveleri", "ve-başlıcası", "ve-en-iyisini"]·urd["اور-اعلیٰ", "اور-سربراہی", "اولین", "پہلا-حصہ", "پہلے"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† רֵאשִׁית n.f. beginning, chief (for רְאֵשִׁית NöGGA 1884, 1019, cf. HolzHex 465; Syriac ܪܺܝܫܺܝܬܳܐ );—abs. ר׳ Dt 33:21 +, cstr. ר׳ Gn 10:10 +, רֵשִׁית Dt 11:12; sf. רֵאשִׁיתוֹ Ec 7:8, רֵאשִׁתוֹ Jb 42:12, etc.;— 1. a. beginning, of kingdom Gn 10:10 (J), year Dt 11:12, reign Je 26:1; 27:1; 28:1; 49:34; = first phase, step, or element in course of events Is 46:10 (opp. אַחֲרִית); of a thing…